3.13.2008

Summer Vacation Update1

Well, I finally did it! I booked our flights to Europe this morning. There's no backing now, actually we can since the tickets are refundable but we won't. :) We will fly out of Boston to Rome, Italy with a stop at London Heathrow. From there, we will take the train to go to other destinations. For our train reservations, we chose the Global Pass at Eurail.com. This is valid for all countries that is a part of Euro Rail.

I've also booked all our hotels for the trip. I relied heavily on Frommers.com and TripAdvisor.com, they have hotel ratings and reviews from travellers. Instead of booking through travel sites, I booked directly with the hotel. It gave us more options doing this, we were able to get just one room for the four of us instead of the suggested two rooms when booking through the online travel booking sites.

Now, I need to plan our sightseeing in each city and book some city tours as well. I really want to see Pope Benedict say mass so I made sure that we are in Rome on a Wednesday. This is the day where they have the Papal Blessing at St. Peter's square. Dh already agreed to it, it's only an hour but it will be worth the trouble dealing with crowds.

18 comments:

  1. Enjoy your vacation! I also consult tripadvisor everytime my family plans a trip. Don't forget your camera. :-)

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  2. Wow barb.. you are really on it na. You are so good pala in looking trips and that.. Nakakasakit pati iyan ng ulo.. did you get headache..?? I seemed to get headache just reading.. gusto ko sakay lang ako..hahaha.

    Herb does the looking out for the hotels and stuff .. me walang kuwenta.. I tagged along..tega kaon lang ko dai.. and also tega clapping hands lang..

    Have a happy weekend..I know I am..!

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  3. Hi Lou, makalimutan ko na lahat wag lang ang camera. :) Tripadvisor is nice because of the hotel reviews.

    Day Fe, thanks for the bisita. You're right about that, sumakit ulo ko sa kakabasa ng mga reviews at pagtingin ng mga websites. Sakit din ng bulsa. LOL

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  4. Wow! Barb, tuloy na tuloy na talaga,wla ng urungan hehehe.Ang ganda ng europe talaga so worth ang every dollar na i-spent nyo dyang mag asawa.
    I hope this year matuloy kami sa Italy din.Oo nga sakit talaga sa bulsa ang bakasyon pero enjoy ka naman,diba.

    Natawa ako doon sa sinabi mong "lili" sa blog ko heheh,marunong ka palang magbisaya Barb :)

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  5. Naku Amor, gamay lang ang bisaya ko, enough lang para di ako maibenta. :) Kailan kayo pupunta ng Italy?

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  6. Barb good you're all set for your trip. Do you still need the Travel Guides book. I just checked that I have France and Italy here and also Great Britain, but I don't think you will need GB coz you're only passing through it. Just give me a call if you still need them, and whatelse you need, we've got a lot here, lol.

    O shooot, the little boy is up here na and dada didn't notice him na naman.

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  7. Hi Mira, nakaligtas ka sandali sa bantay mo. LOL I'll borrow Italy, we have the Rick Steves guide already but I want to get another point of view.

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  8. mareng barb sama mo ako pasok mo sa luggage hehehe.

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  9. ha ha there you go lady, up and ready for this break. I know how it feels to be booking hotels and making itineraries but you finally did it. You passing Amsterdam or Hague? did not see this in your itineraries. You are on the trail, keep us abreast. Do have a list of things you want to buy in those places, it shorten the shopping time specially with kids, you have to know where you are going each day with an establish time table. Just some tips

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  10. Hopefully sa birthday ko.Yan yong maging birthday gift ko.

    Have a nice weekend Barb!

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  11. wow naka booked na talaga ang Europe Tour nyo....I will say, WELCOME IN EUROPE; FAMILY HUNT......

    really, maganda ang Europe, really. hindi na nandito ako.

    Nice, punta kayo sa Mass ni Pope, i know every Weds yon, kahit na maraming tao, it´s worth, isn´t it?

    I done this here in Munich, when he visited here last, Sept. 10,2006,
    pls.pag my time ka, visit my MY PHOTOALBUM......album number 14....

    http://viki06.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album14

    ang dami ngang tao, pero happy ako talaga to heard the mass at nakita ko si Pope n he blessed us.

    Pero, na kuyapan ako....lol...hindi dahil sa gutom kung hindi nahihilo sa daming tao....makita sa album ko, hinatid ako sa Police sa Bus namin....lol

    pero sabi ko, Worth talaga, naka attened ako sa mass at nakita ko si pope personally.....

    basta, magmeet tayo ok?.....bahala na......

    tapos huwag mong kalimutan ang Camera mo ha?....para may souviner ka at now n then makita mo palagi ang views na nakita mo sa tour nyo.....lol

    bye n thanks for sharing, eager na rin ako sa tour nyo dito......

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  12. miss Babette, happy saturday sa iyo.

    nainggit tuloy ako sa iyo.. dami mong pupuntahan. and inggit ko na iyan is really friendly..hindi ako marunong magselos.

    labay labay lang ko diri dai.. hala ka.. dami mo ng koleksyong bisaya sentences.. Galing mong magbisaya dai Babs.. iyan ang talent na bigay sa atin na no one can sell us to anyone.. kahit pa sa Wal-mart..hahaha

    adios dai..

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  13. Benvenuto! wow vocation again :-) I'm sure you will enjoy in italy lalo na sa Roma historic city :-) punta kayo sa Pisa at Ferenze ganda rin doon!

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  14. Mareng Lan,kahit si Andrew di kasya sa luggage dahil maliit lang ang dadalhin namin. Mag-train kami after Rome papunta sa ibang cities para makita namin ang countryside so kailangan madali lang bitbitin. REady na ba kayo sa Disney Cruise nyo?

    Hi Phoebes, thanks for the tips you gave me kanina sa chat, if you think of more tips, just send it my way. :) We will visit Amsterdam and The Hague too. I already have a draft of our daily itinerary, we bought some guide books for each city.

    Amor, that will be a nice birthday present, much better than any material stuff. :)

    Vks, siguradong magkita tayo, you're the reason why matagal kami sa Trier. So we'll see you that Saturday ok. Naku, nakuyapan ka pala doon, talagang pag ganyang masyadong madaming tao may nahihilo.

    Inday Fe, hahaha ikaw talaga, pinatawa mo ako. I know hindi ka nagselos bec. that's not in you. LOL It reminded me of something, you know what it is. ;)

    Hi Ricka, thanks for the visit. Pupunta rin kami ng Pisa and Firenze as well as Venice. :) AFter that we'll head off to Luzern and Wengen, in your country.

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  15. Hi,goodluck to your vacation!Yes,u should see the St.Peter's Basilica.It is a must when u go to Roma.I love everything about Rome.And don't ever miss the Colloseum!!!!And the Capella Sistina.UHmmmmm,i wanna go back there again!

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  16. Ilang months nalang Barb,bakasyon grande nyo na!mag rerent ba kayo ng car every place na pupuntahan nyo Barb?

    If you notice sa mga photos ko,every October ang mga date kasi lumalabas kami every birthday ko :) gift nya sa akin

    Happy Sunday!

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  17. hi barb! wow madame pupunta na kayo sa europe? kailan yon barb? kasali ba ang paris? sus dami kong Q, naexcited din ako sayo. It reminds me of Elvie kaya lang di yata sila dumaan sa bandang Paris. Sige barb ingat and enjoy your vacation.

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  18. all settled na pala bakasyon niyo, ate barbs. galing naman, at kainggit ha. LOL! that is one grand europe vacation for the whole family. enjoy your vacation, which am sure you will. =)

    take care always and happy st patrick's day!

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